April 1945
NAMES ENTERED CONTEST
Jim Catlin Wins War Bond -- Judges Have Tough
Decision -- Many Excellent Entries
Submitted
Jim Catlin. lathe operator in the machine shop. entered the winning name for "NEWS CAST" and won the $25 war bond offered in the first issue. His entry was one of 241 which came from every department.
The way everyone entered into this contest was really something to cheer about, because the entries. almost 100 percent. showed that everyone was genuinely interested and went at the job seriously. Only two contestants felt inclined to make a joke of the whole thing, and because all entries were identified by number only, only they know about it. The only entry identified was the winner, whose number was posted when the judges picked his idea.
i`NEWS CAST" was chosen because it seemed to them to come nearer the requirements of a good name than any of the others. It ties in with an actual plant operation familiar to all. It is short and easily remembered. It can be illustrated and pictured effectively.
This was not by any means the only good name suggested. There were so many that the judges did a lot of head scratching and really got down to fine points before they finally chose the winner. We hope you'll like it.
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I was chosen one of the judges, and I think the most interesting time I have had in a long while was the privilege of looking over the hundreds of names suggested. There was hardly a name suggested that wasn't hard to pass over in choosing the one that now heads the paper.
The next surprise was the enthusiasm with which everyone entered into the collecting and often the writing of news items, and suggesting ideas for the paper.
This proves what I have always contended. that in any organization of our size such an opportunity for expression would bring out a wide variety of talent. The material handed in for this issue shows that we have plenty of such talent, not only that pertinent to the making of a paper, but chiefly in the field of our profession of designing and manufacturing.
This is a good time, I think, to mention something that most of us are aware of. That is the burden under which most of our supervisors and foremen work these days. Our principal business is manufacturing, and in comparison with ten years ago. it is a nightmare. Ten years ago it was merely a matter of designing a good tool. having fair equipment and good men to handle the equipment. And. ten years ago, selling the tools we made was a real problem, too.
Today the sales problem is negligible. But most of the other problems are multiplied many times. and the chief one is coordinating
the manufacture of many different parts so as to bring them together at the right time for Final assembly. Because of the shortage of a number of materials, this problem has become terrific.
Because this war time and therefore abnormal condition takes so much of management's time and attention, it may be that a lot of good men in the plant feel that their interest in their work and in the plant is not being observed and recognized as it should be. If any do feel that way, all I can say is that our intentions are good. And I can assure you that good.d workmanship and industry on the part of anyone in this plant will bring results for the individual. There is hardly a job in this plant which is not open some time to anyone who can prove his ability to handle that job. When some of the load imposed by these abnormal conditions is lifted from our supervisory personnel, you will learn that they have not been entirely unaware of individuals in their departments.
We want no one to feel that he is in a rut. We want each one feel that it is up to him to improve his own position in the company. It is our intention to give everyone this opportunity. It is no secret that this company, like many others, is terribly short of men qualified for supervisory jobs, throughout both plant and office, and we are sure that most of these jobs will eventually be filled by men who are now in the organization.
Jess Lindeman.
